Traffic signal



Feb. 8, 1938. J. l.. BRAUN ET AL. 2,107,930

' TRAFFC SIGNAL Filed Aug. 6, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l lIHIIIlxl I.

Feb. 8, 1938. n J. L BRAUN ET M 2,107,930

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Aug. e, 1935 5 sheets-sheet 2 Fell 8, 1938- J. L.BRAUN ET AL 2,107,930

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Aug. 6, 1935 y 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ri f 60 62 61.51955 UNTED STA'IES hiermit PATENT @FFHQE TRAFFIC SIGNAL John L. Braun,Tonawanda, and Kitt S. Sliickluna, Bu-alo, N. Y., assignors of one-thirdte Frank-C. Conti, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application August 6,

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in traffic signals, and moreparticularly to that type employed at street or road intersections.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a simple and effectivesignal, by means of which traic approaching from different directions iseifectively controlled and under the functioning of which operators ofapproaching vehicles will beinformed of their right to continue in trafcas they approach the signal from certain directions, while thoseapproaching from other directions are informed of their duty to stop;all vehicles approaching from all directions being fully informed oftheir rights without subjecting them to flash signals which necessitatesudden stops, or spurts of speed usually applied to enable the vehicleto cross an intersecting street before vehicles traveling on theintersecting street reach the center of the intersection.

Another object of our invention is to provide a traiiic signal in whichall flash signals are eliminated and all vehicles approaching a streetor road intersection are informed, before reaching the intersection, asto their rights to proceed or the necessity of stopping without trappingof the vehicle at the intersection so as to interfere with intersectingtrac, or causing the vehicle to stop suddenly.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a signal of thistype with means for conveniently changing the time allowances of thestop signaling element with relation to the intersecting streets so thatthe street having the heavier traiiic can be given a clearance signal oflonger duration than the street intersecting it.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a simple andeffective signal, capable of being suspended at the center ofintersecting streets or roads, or positioned at diametrically oppositecorners of intersecting roads, two forms of locations of signals now incommon use.

With the above and other objects in view to appear hereinafter, ourinvention consists in the novel features of construction, and in thearrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described andmore particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, Fig. is a side elevation of a signal constructed inaccordance with our invention. A

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the signal.

3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3,

1935, Serial No. 34,9%

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line Fig. 2, looking up.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 6 5, Fig. 5,looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 'l-l, Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an inverted detached perspective view of the bottom member ofthe hollow rotatable signaling member.

Fig. 9 is a detached perspective View of the timing disk.

Reference being had to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral Hldesignates the signal casing, which is preferably formed in three parts,H, l2, and I3; Il being a cap or top member, i3 a bottom member, and l2an intermediate member secured between the tcp and bottom members bymeans of bolts it, or otherwise, the bolts I4 being passed downwardlythrough the flange portion l5 of the top member, the intermediate memberi2, and through the downwardly-tapered peripheral wall I5 of the bottommember i3, nuts being applied to said bolts to fasten the three memberssecurely together, yet permit the lower member to be easily detached forchanging the timing mechanism when this is considered desirable; itbeing simply necessary to remove the nuts from the bolts it and lowerthe bottom member with the motor therein, the latter being describedhereinafter.

In the drawings, we have shown the signal in the form in which it issuspended at the center of intersecting streets or roads, and the mediumfor suspending the same may include a tube il threaded into a collar Ilafastened to the cap or top member H by means of pins I3, or otherwise.Current conducting wires i9 are passed through this tube and are inelectrical connection, respectively, with the cylindrical wall of a lampsocket 2!! and with a center contact 2| within said socket, said lampsocket being fastened into the cap or top member i l in any approvedmanner. This lamp socket and the tube are axially disposed withreference to the casing il) and it has secured therein an electric bulb22 which extends axially into the intermediate member l2 of the casing.We prefer to secure the cap or top member H and the intermediate memberl2 together by means of screws 23, or otherwise, so that these twomembers do not entirely depend on the bolts i12- for securing themtogether, and by so connecting these two members, all parts of thesignal, except the bottom member I3 and the motor therein, will remainintact when changing the timing mechanism.

The casing, in the main, is preferably octagonal in cross section, andin the intermediate member I2 thereof, sight openings are arranged inpairs at right angles to each other, one pair being designated by thenumeral 24 and the other by the numeral 25. Applied to the openings arepanes o-f glass 2E or other transparent panels which are held in placeby retainer rings 2'I exteriorly fastened to the casing, such as bymeans of screws 28.

While a casing of octagonal formation will meet the requirements of themajority of intersecting roads, there are many instances, in cities,where intersecting streets are arranged at other than right angles, andwhere such conditions are encountered, the position of the sightopenings in the casing will of course be changed. It follows thereforethat the casing may be circular, quadrangular, pentagonal, or it may,more specifically, be in the form of a trapezium, or a trapezoid; infact, it may have any other geometrical configuration, depending on thedirection of the intersecting streets or roads, as will be understood.

In the drawings, wherein the casing is represented in octagonal form,the sight openings 24 and 25 are arranged to meet the requirements ofintersecting streets at a right angle. Consequently, sight openings arearranged alternately in the panels of the octagonal intermediate memberI2, and these are formed by directing annular flanges 29 inwardly fromthe wall of the casing. The upper and lower ends of the intermediatemember I2 are open, Yinwardly extending flanges 30 and 3| being providedat the top and bottom respectively. The screws 23 employed to fasten thecap or top and intermediate members together are passed through theflange portion I5 of the top member and threaded into the flange 30, andthe flange 3I at the bottom of the intermediate member is connected withan axial hub 32 by radial arms 33, the hub 32 being somewhat depressedfrom the plane in which the arms 33 are disposed to form a centralcavity 34 in what may be termed the spider, which comprises the flange 3I, the hub 32, and the arms 33. Fitted into the hub 32 is a sleeve orbushing 35 which has .a collar 35 at its upper end lying mainly withinthe cavity 34 and serving as a stop to prevent downward movement of saidsleeve or bushing.

Arranged within the intermediate member I2 of the casing is a signalingmember 31 which is mounted for intermittent rotary movement therein andit comprises an upper ring 38 having a depending annular flange 39, abottom 48 having a horizontal marginal portion 4I provided with anupwardly extending annular flange 42 and a horizontal central portion 43connected with the horizontal marginal portion by an upwardly-taperedconnecting wall 44. This bottom wall is, therefore, dished upwardly andprovides a space 45 between the same and the spider-like bottom of theintermediate member I2. Positioned between the ring 38 and the bottom 40of the signaling member so as to surround the respective flanges 39 and42 thereof is a translucent intermediate member 46 which is formed offour arcuate or other glass sections 41, 4B, 49, 58, and which sectionsare colored and secured in place in any approved manner. The sections ofthe intermediate member 45 form a cylindrical structure which travels incontact with or in close proximity to the inwardly extending annularflanges 29 forming the sight openings 24 and 25.

In the particular representation of our invention shown, the sightopenings are arranged on the quarters so that space is provided betweenthem to permit the use of comparatively long colored glass sections, andit is our intention to employ two= comparatively short sections and twocomparatively long sections, the short sections 4'I and 48 being coloredgreen and each having a horizontal dimension greater than the diameterof each sight opening, while the sections 49 and 50 are colored red andoccupy the spaces between the smaller green sections, in consequence ofwhich they have a horizontal dimension severaltimes that of the smallergreen sections. These sections, or segments as they may be termed, areso fastened to the bottom 49 and the top ring 38 that a unitary assemblyis provided which includes said segments, bottom, and top ring, andwhich is rotatably arranged within the intermediate section I2 of thecasing.

Secured within the upwardly dished portion of the bottom 49 of thesignaling member is a ratchet hub 5I, the ratchet teeth of which areformed on the lower end thereof and the upper end of this hub has anoutstanding flange 52 bearing against the under side of the horizontalcentral portion 43 of said bottom. 53 is a shaft which extends into theupper end of the sleeve or bushing 35 and is provided with anenlargement or head 54 extending through an axial opening in thehorizontal central portion of said bottom 4I) and through the ratchethub, the upper end of said enlargement or head having radial arms 5,5lying against the upper face of said horizontal central portion. Screws56 are provided for securing this head and the ratchet hub to saidbottom, said screws being passed through the radial arms 55 and thehorizontal central portion of said bottom and taking into the flange 52on said ratchet hub. By providing the shaft 53 with an enlargement orhead, such as 54, a downwardly facing shoulder 51 is provided on saidshaft, between which and the upper end of the sleeve or bushing 35 a beror other friction disk o-r washer 58 is arranged, the shaft 53 passingthrough said disk or washer and the weight of the signaling member beingsupported wholly by said ber disk or washer.

Secured to the sleeve or bushing 35 beneath the hub 32 of theintermediate member I2 of the casing is a timing disk 59 which isprovided near its marginal portion with a circular series of openings60, and 6I designates wedge-like riders or trip-elements which areadapted to be spaced in a selective manner around said timing disk, eachrider lying over one or more of said openings and being secured inselected position by means of a screw 62 passed upwardly through one ofsaid openings and threaded into said riders, as shown in Figs. 2, 6 and'7, or screw bolts may be passed through said riders from the top andextend through selected openings in the timing disk, as shown in Figs. 5and 9, in which case nuts will be threaded onto the projecting ends ofsaid screw bolts. The relative positions of these riders determine theintervals of time exposures for the colored sections or segments of thesignaling member through the sight openings 24 and 25.

By reason of the timing element or disk 59 being secured to the sleeveor bushing 35 so that it rotates with the latter, said sleeve or bushingmay be considered as forming part of said timing element or disk.

The number of openings in the timing disk may vary, but we prefer toemploy sixty and to cause the timing disk to make one revolution everytwo minutes. The spaces between the openings SG therefore representseconds in time,

wo seconds time being required to move each opening the distance betweenopenings, center to center. This, however, may be otherwise timed, andmight vary at diierent street or road intersections.

Formed in one of the arms 33 in the spider-like bottom of theintermediate member I2 of the casing is an opening 63 through which alock or ratchet dog 5d is passed, said lock or ratchet dog having twosubstantially parallel arms 65, 63 oiset by an intermediate portion 6'!passing through said opening so that one of the arms of said dog liesabove and the other below the spider arm 33. The intermediate portion 61of said lock dog is pivotally connected between a pair of lugs 38depending from said spider arm 33. The arm 65 is in engagement with atooth oi the ratchet hub 5 I, while the arm 66 is adapted to engage andbe tripped successively by the wedge-like riders 6I on the timing disk,and for this purpose the outer end of said arm 66 is laterally extendedand forked, as at 69, to receive a roller 'la which is designed totravel in contact with the upper surface of the timing disk and to rideover the wedge-like riders 6I for tripping the dog and causing the arm55 of the latter to become disengaged from the ratchet hub; it being ofcourse understood that the timing disk is rotated, and for this purposea shaft 'II is inserted into the sleeve or bushing from the bottom andsecured therein by a set screw 12, or otherwise; said shaft having aworm gear I3 removably secured thereto which is in mesh with a worm lllfastened to the shaft of a motor I5 arranged within the bottom member I3oi the casing, said motor being secured to the bottom of said section inany approved manner.

Due to the fact that the sleeve or bushing 35 is rotated and the timingdisk 59 is secured to said sleeve, the timing disk is rotated at anydesired speed, and for this purpose a variable change-speed.gear-mechanism may be interposed between the motor and the shaft 'I I,or the speed of the timing disk may be controlled by changing the sizeof the worm gear 'I3 and shifting the motor accordingly. If desired themotor may be a variable speed motor. It will be apparent therefore thatthe motor rotates the timing disk and when the lock or ratchet dog 64 isin engagement with a tooth of the ratchet hub 5I the signaling member 37is held against rotation. During this time the upper end of the sleeveor bushing 35 rides in contact with the under surface of the frictiondisk or washer 58, which is prevented from rotating by reason of theshaft 53 being held against rotation by the lock or ratchet dog.

It is to be noted that the ratchet hub 5I has eight teeth evenly spaced,and assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, arider is traveling underneath and in contact with the roller of the lockor ratchet dog 64, with the result that said dog is disengaged from theratchet hub 5i. Consequently, under the weight of the signaling member3'! the friction created between the friction disk or washer 58 and theupper end of the sleeve or bushing 35 is suic'ient to cause thesignaling member to rotate within the casing.

As the rider leaves the roller of said lock or ratchet dog, thesignaling member continues to rotate with the timing disk, even thoughthe lock or ratchet dog engages the next tooth of the circular series onthe ratchet hub and the signaling member continues rotating until theabrupt or vertical end of the succeeding tooth comes in contact with thelock or ratchet dog. This occurs after the signaling member has madeoneeighth of a complete revolution, due to the fact that eightequally-spaced teeth are provided on the ratchet hub.

Under this operation the green sections or segments of the signalingmember will have moved from their positions behind the sight openings 25to positions centrally between said sight openings and the sightopenings 24, with the result that the red sections or segments of thesignaling member will be exposed through all sight openings of thecasing'. These red signals will be so exposed until the next rider inthe series on the timing disk engages the lock or ratchet lever, andwhen this occurs said lever will again be disengaged from the ratchethub, permitting the signaling member to move with the timing disk and inunison therewith until the inner end of the lock or ratchet dog comes incontact with the next tooth of the ratchet hub.

During this last step in the operation of this device the green segmentswill have been moved from positions between the sight openings 24 and 25to positions behind the sight openings 24. It will be clear thereforethat each time the lock or ratchet dog is disengaged from the ratchethub the signaling member will be moved one-eighth of a completerevolution, and by positioning the riders in desired positions on thetiming disk the intervals lfor exposing red through all signals and theintervals for exposing green through each pair of sight openings can beeasily controlled.

lt will be understood that the short spaces between riders on the timingdisk are employed to move the green sections or segments of thesignaling member out of exposed positions and at the same time areutilized to determine the length of time such green sections or segmentswill be maintained centrally between the sight openings 2i! and 25,while lthe long spaces between riders determine the length of time thegreen signals are exposed through the sight openings, which may belengthened or shortened for the green exposure through one pair overtheir exposure through the other pair of sight openings.

Instead of providing a continuous series of openings in the timing diskin which the openings are spaced equidistantly, such series may bebroken, for the reason that in the circle in which these openings arearranged blank spaces may be employed at diametrically-opposite regionsbetween the riders on the timing disk closely spaced apart, and each ofsuch blank spaces may be extended through one-eighth of the completecircle in which the series of openings are formed. Under such anarrangement there still would be a circular series of openings in thetiming disk, although all the openings of the series would not beequidistantly spaced.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A trafic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing having differentsignaling elements, a timing element under constant rotation and havingits axis co-incident with the axis of said signaling member, frictionmeans between said timing element and said signaling member to cause thelatter to move with said timing element, and means interposed betweensaid timing element and signaling member to cause slippage of saidfriction means so as to allow independent rotative movement of saidtiming element.

2. A traic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing having differentsignaling elements, a timing element under constant rotation and havingits axis co-incident with the axis of said signaling member, frictionmeans between said timing element and said signaling member to cause thelatter to move with said timing element, co-operating interlockingdevices between said timing element and said signaling member wherebysaid signaling member is locked against rotation, one of saidinterlocking devices being actuated by and under control of said timingelement to disengage it from the other.

3. A tra'ic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing having ratchetteeth thereon, a timing element under constant rotation and having itsaxis co-incident with the axis of said signaling member, means betweensaid timing element and said signaling member to cause the latter tomove with said timing element, a ratchet dog carried by said casing andadapted for engagement with said ratchet teeth, and means carried bysaid timing element for tripping said ratchet dog to disengage the samefrom said ratchet teeth, said ratchet dog when in engagement with saidratchet teeth preventing rotation of said signaling member with saidtiming element.

4. A traiic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing having a ratchethub axially disposedA thereon, a timing element under constant rotationdisposed beneath .said signaling member, means between said timingelement and said signaling member to cause the latter to rotate withsaid timing element, a ratchet dog pivoted within said casing at a xedpoint between said signaling member and said timing element and havingtwo arms extending from its pivotal point, one of said arms engagingsaid ratchet hub to lock said signaling member against rotation andpermitindependent rotation of said timing element, and tripping elementson said timing element adapted to engage the other arm of said ratchetdog and to release the latter from said ratchet hub to cause saidsignaling member to rotate with said timing element.

5. A trafic signal, comprising a casing having a removable bottommember, a signalling member rotatably mounted within said casing abovesaid bottom member, a timing disk within said bottom member havingriders adjustably disposed thereon in spaced-apart relation and havingfriction connection with said signaling member, means for constantlyrotating said timing disk, and locking means between said signalingmember and said timing disk adapted to be successively tripped by theriders on said timing disk to cause rotation of said signaling memberwith said timing disk when said locking means is in'engagement with arider and to permit independent rotation of said timing disk when saidriders are out of engagement with said locking means.

6. A trafc signal, comprising a casing having sight openings, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing, a timing diskco-axial with said signaling member and having a circular series ofopenings therein, means for constantly rotating said timing disk, ridersspaced apart on said timing disk and secured thereto in selectivepositions through the medium of said openings, and a device between saidsignaling member and said timing disk actuated successively by saidriders and controlling the rotative movement of said signaling memberwith said timing disk and the independent movement of said timing disk.

7. A traffic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings and anaxial bearing therein, a sleeve rotatable in said bearing, a signalingmember rotatably mounted within said casing and having an axial shaftrotatable within said sleeve, a ratchet hub surrounding said shaft, afriction device on said shaft bearing against said sleeve and supportingthe weight of said signaling member, a timing device secured to saidsleeve including tripping elements adjustably secured to said timingdevice, and a ratchet lever pivotally secured within said casing andhaving two arms, one of said arms adapted for engagement with saidratchet hub and the other for successive engagement with said trippingelements.

8. A trafic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, acylindrical signaling member rotatable within said casing and having abi-colored translucent peripheral wall exposed directly through saidsight openings, said peripheral wall comprising comparatively shortgreen segments exposable through certain of said sight openings andcomparatively long red segments exposable through the remaining sightopenings, and means for intermittently rotating said signaling member inone direction within said casing so as to expose said green segmentsselectively through said sight openings for predetermined periods oftime and for exposing said red segments through all of said sightopenings while changing the green segments from certain of said sightopenings to others, said means including a friction-device operativeonly when intermittent movement is imparted to said signaling member,and said friction device being operative under the Weight of saidsignaling member.

9. In a trafc signal, a casing having sight openings therein, acylindrical signaling element rotatable within said casing and exposeddirectly through said sight openings, said signaling element comprising'a peripheral Wall formed of segments of red and segments of green, thegreen segments extending through smaller arcs of circles than the redsegments, friction means within said casing for rotating said signalingelement and operative under the weight of the latter, restraining-meanseffective to lock said signaling element against movement, and means torelease said restraining-means atpredetermined times.

10. A traffic signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein,a signaling member having differently colored portions adapted to beexposed successively through each of said sight openings, a timing diskrotatable within said casing and having a series of openings in itsmarginal portion, beveled riders applied to said timing disk, screwspassed through selected openings in said timing disk and threaded intosaid beveled riders, and means actuated by said riders for locking saidsignaling member against rotation while permitting rotation of saidtiming disk and for releasing said signaling member to permit rotationthereof with said timing disk.

ll. A traie signal, comprising a casing having sight openings therein, asignaling member rotatably mounted within said casing having differentsignaling elements, a rotatable timing element beneath said signalingmember and coaxial therewith, said timing element causing rotation ofsaid signaling member under frictional Contact created by the weight ofsaid signaling member, and means interposed between said timing elementand signaling member to cause slippage so as to allow independentrotative movement of said timing element.

12. A trac signal, comprising a casing and a signaling member, saidcasing and signaling member being relatively movable, a timing elementcontinuously movable in one direction, means to move said timingelement, frictionmeans between said timing element and said signalingmember to cause the latter to move with said timing element, and meansinterposed between said signaling member and said timing element tocause slippage of said friction means at predetermined intervals andallow independent movement of said timing element.

\ JOI-IN L. BRAUN.

KITT S. SHICKLUNA

